Red Cross disaster response goes high-tech

The local chapter of the Red Cross unveils its new disaster operations center in Kearny Mesa, which can house up to 40 volunteers at a time and is wired to the county's main emergency operations center a few miles away.

Sean M. Haffey

The local chapter of the Red Cross unveils its new disaster operations center in Kearny Mesa, which can house up to 40 volunteers at a time and is wired to the county's main emergency operations center a few miles away.

The local chapter of the Red Cross unveils its new disaster operations center in Kearny Mesa, which can house up to 40 volunteers at a time and is wired to the county's main emergency operations center a few miles away. (Sean M. Haffey)

As wildfires scorched communities throughout San Diego County in October 2007, the Red Cross coordinated more than 4,000 volunteers and 21 shelters with little more than white boards, telephones and sticky notes.

On Thursday, the local chapter joined the 21st century with the unveiling of a new high-tech operations center that promises to streamline and speed up the response to San Diego’s next big earthquake or wildfire.

“The key to the Red Cross is a strong local presence,” said Jerry DeFrancisco, president of humanitarian services at the American Red Cross’ national headquarters in Washington, D.C. “This center will give this region a whole new capability reacting quickly to local disasters.”

The large state-of-the-art room at the Red Cross’ Kearny Mesa office is outfitted with 40 computer terminals to be used for specific coordination roles during an emergency. Flat screen TVs can broadcast numerous newscasts at once. Large projection screens show real-time maps and information streaming live from the county’s Emergency Operations Center, where police and fire chiefs, mayors, military leaders, utility companies and other public officials gather a few miles away.

That connection to the county’s information hub is key, Red Cross officials say, allowing for faster response times and better decision-making when deploying volunteers.

The local chapter has about 3,400 volunteers, 700 of which are considered highly-trained for response.

In the past, the Red Cross had to rely solely on phone updates from their one liaison stationed at the county’s operations center. Now, information on road closures, evacuations, fire lines and critical updates will come directly into the Red Cross.

“What they see is what we see,” said Joe Craver, CEO of the Red Cross’ San Diego and Imperial counties chapter.

Much of that data can be shared through a 46-inch TouchTable, a giant touch-screen computer that shows the location of shelters, resources and disaster zones on Google Earth maps.

“We are ready when the time comes,” Craver said. “We know exactly what’s going on, exactly where the resources are and exactly how to get them there.”

The $700,000 project was funded partly through general donations to the Red Cross, as well as by other grants designated for emergency preparedness and recovery assistance.

Construction on the space began in September, after two years of consulting and planning with several public safety partners.

The interior of the room is kept dim, with charcoal gray walls and workstations lit by spotlights, designed to prevent eye strain and provide a comfortable environment for the eight- to 12-hour shifts.

The space had been used by the Red Cross’ armed forces emergency call center, which has been moved to a different part of the building. The call center is one of four in the nation that keeps military members in touch with their families during personal crisis such as deaths or serious illnesses.